One early plan for the original Space Mountain had rockets orbiting the mountain on the outside, then "plunging into the blackness of space" inside. The original design was done by 1966, and got Walt's blessing, but there wasn't a control system available then that could operate it safely. By 1975, there was -- thanks in part to RCA sponsorship. This control system involves weighing each car, and considering its rolling qualities on its previous trip; which input is used to compensate for variations in passenger weight, wear, and even the different rolling qualities of the nylon wheels as they warm up over the day. Given these inputs, Space Mountain can dispatch rockets more frequently without concern for collisions -- up to eleven rockets.

The computer cannot slow rockets down inside the mountain. The only way to prevent one rocket from catching a lighter one in front of it, is to delay the rocket from entering into the mountain as much as possible. If the delta for the weight is greater than 600lbs. the computer will delay the rocket for 4 seconds. But if the weight is greater than 800lbs. the "tower" cast member must delay the rocket longer, as much as possible. If one rocket does catch up to another, this causes a "brake zone intrusion" and a ride cascade stop occurs.
Two PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers) report to the computer, using electronic sensors to monitor the location and speed of each vehicle.

Some info supplied by: Kory Blankenship Garden Grove, CA

Statistics:
Roller coasters almost never travel at the exact same speed. They tend to speed up as the day goes on and the parts warm up. Also, the weight of the passengers affects the speed dramatically. Space Mountain features a soundtrack in each individual train that is able to locate its position on the track. This keeps the music in sync with the ride despite the trains speed.

These US Mercury Astronauts people were in attendance on May 27,1977:
Scott Carpenter
Wally Schirra
U.S. Senator John Glenn
Betty Grissom, widow of Virgil Grissom
Gordon cooper
Alan Shepard
Donald Slayton

Launch Director:M-C, this is L-D.
Mission Control:Go Ahead.
Launch Director:We're going to need another computation on the space shuttle plot.
Mission Control:Roger.
Launch Director:Once I receive a go from you on that, I will initiate a hold.

Launch Control:Space Port Flight, you may proceed with the launch.
Space Port Flight:Roger.
Space Port Flight:Launch Control, this is Space Port Flight. Ask Space Venture to prepare to copy.
Launch Control:Space Venture, are you prepared to copy?
Space Venture:Launch Control, this is Space Venture. Go ahead.
Launch Control:Address four zero two six nine seven.
Space Venture:Address four one three five seven six. Flight, this is Space Venture. The computer is ready.

Indiana Jones Adventure and two Fantasyland rides will close for most of the fall to undergo renovations as summer crowds dissipate at Disneyland.
That park and neighboring Disney California Adventure will shut down 10 venues in September for refurbishment, after the record-breaking summer

It's not easy being Disneyland. To keep people coming back and visiting year after year, the Anaheim amusement park has to constantly reinvent itself while not changing in ways that'll alienate diehard fans whose nostalgia runs deep. A few months ago, the park permanently closed the Twilight Zone

I recently interviewed a cast member who works inside the Haunted Mansion. She talked about the belief, among Disney employees, that the place is inhabited by more than the Disney-created 999 haunts.
She said female employees talk about ghosts that untie the ribbons in the cast members' hair.

When visiting Disney, many families head straight for the E-ticket rides, from Space Mountain to the Matterhorn to Dumbo. But in doing so they not only spend a whole lot of time in long lines, but they miss out on so many magical moments and memories that can be made at the "happiest place on

After half a century, those mad teacups are still spinning, the baby elephants are still flying, the hippos' ears are still wiggling and the cash registers are still jingling.
Disneyland, a place both timeless and frozen in time, hits a milestone this summer when it turns 50 in Anaheim,

It was not a pretty sight. Staggering through the exit turnstiles of California Adventure, I was stricken with the sort of randomly anxious thoughts I have not experienced since my hardest drinking days..
If cotton candy is green and slightly tangy does that make it a fruit? Was the music I

Even at the Magic Kingdom, maintenance is a must.
Two Disneyland attractions are closed through August, a third will close at the end of the month and visitors to neighboring Disney California Adventure will have to slip into that park a little differently for a bit to allow a massive

In honor of Disneyland's 50th anniversary, we present 50 cool, obscure and simply odd things you probably didn't know about the self-proclaimed Happiest Place on Earth. Many were culled from Mouse Tales by David Koenig (Bonaventure, $19.95). Some were provided by Disney archivist Dave Smith, and

I've been to Disneyland hundreds of times over the last two decades and have been writing the Funland theme park blog for about four years now. As a result, people are always asking me how to do everything at Disneyland in a single day.
The short answer is you probably can't. It can be a

I dare you to go to Disneyland and not buy at least one souvenir on your visit. Unless you work there or are a season pass holder who drops by whenever you please, odds are you will pick something up to help you remember the "magical" time you had. Me, I'd like to take the entire park home with me,

Over 60 years ago, Disneyland opened in Anaheim, California. In the decades since, Walt Disney's original theme park vision has undergone changes both big and small. Rides, attractions, and entire swaths of land have sometimes been overhauled or torn down to make way for modern amusements.
But

In 1955, something spectacular happened: Disneyland opened in Anaheim, Calif., forever changing the face of amusement parks in America. Given its long and storied history, of course, it's to be expected that over the years, rumors that ghosts allegedly haunt Disneyland, as well as Walt Disney World

You can't do it all, and truth be told, a child doesn't miss what she doesn't know about. A look back at what we saw and did -- and didn't do -- in one day.
Don't miss the Toontown roller coaster, somebody said. Don't bother with Toontown, somebody else said. Don't risk the Matterhorn with a

It had been three or four years since I had last been to Disneyland. But, on May 22, my mother and I went, just the two of us. That day was the opening day, for lack of a better term, of the park's Diamond celebration. As a part of that, the parks were open for 24 hours, closing at 6 A.M. on May 23

Summer 1948: Walt Disney visits the Chicago Railroad Fair, a spectacle that spurs his dream for a "Mickey Mouse Park."
June 1953: Stanford Research Institute is tapped to conduct a survey for a site within metropolitan Los Angeles and accessible by freeway. Search ends with purchase of 160

I had been pretty neutral on all things Disney while I was growing up, and as a young adult I didn't seek out any Disney entertainment. I had been to Disney World once when I was eight or nine, but that was pre-Epcot and all I remembered was loving Peter Pan and hating Space Mountain. But in 2006

My blessings are too many to count, so instead, I count the things I'm gonna miss when I die.
Originally, my list was made up of mostly family and friends. But then I started adding things like sex and Haagan-Daz, fried green tomatoes, Lucky Charms and pork chops, jump shots and

In 1955, Tomorrowland was one of Disneyland's most popular attractions. House made of plastic, flying saucers and other items in the park showed Walt Disney's vision of what 1986 would be like.
Over the years, that vision became less cutting edge and more, well, cheesy. But thanks to a

Disneyland opened on this day in 1955. For five decades, the Anaheim attraction has worked its magic on our culture and transformed the entertainment industry.
To build his dream theme park in Anaheim a half-century ago, Walt Disney borrowed against his life insurance policy and cashed in

I remember Riverview. This vast amusement park was located on Chicago's North Side. It was magnificent, dangerous and thrilling. There were freak shows; there was the renowned Bobs roller coaster, built as the fastest in the world; there was the Rotor. a room-sized cylinder in which one stood back

Ignore those office emails, forget all about the economy and for an afternoon focus instead on what's really important, especially on vacation - making memories with the kids.
Judging by the crowds on a recent sunny day at Disneyland and it's sister California Adventure Park in Anaheim, a lot

For 40 years, the theme park chose ride operators based on gender-with frilly-frocked females working Storybook Land and macho men in pith helmets wisecracking through the Jungle Cruise.
But last month, the first woman took up oars to help guests paddle canoes around Tom Sawyer Island, and the

It happens every time we set our eyes on the iconic visage of Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty Castle: Swelling up inside us is a fierce urge to plunge through the crowd and make a mad dash toward Space Mountain.
At least that's the way it goes when we have children in tow. A parent's gut says

If the early reviews are any indication, this will really be a happy birthday at Disneyland.
The theme park, which turns 50 on July 17, lit the candles on its anniversary celebration Wednesday with the official debut of a nightly fireworks show, the most elaborate in its history. And the next

He claims to have the best job in the corporate world and the president of America's Disneyland Resort said it's Australians who have helped make his theme park a global success.
Matt Ouimet is in Australia to meet with various local travel companies to discuss deals for Australians wanting to

On July 4th, 1979 little Teresa Salcedo was the first baby born in Disneyland at California. But contrary to urban legend, she didn't get a lifetime pass to the Happiest Place on Earth.
It's a surprisingly popular misconception that any baby born in a Disney Park gets a lifetime pass. But it's

I just wanted to be Dopey.
While all the other dwarfs clomped around Disneyland in lock-step, Dopey got to dawdle and wander, hamming it up for adoring tourists - especially teenage girls. When it came to the Seven Dwarfs, Dopey was the big draw.
Me? I wore tights and a loincloth, an

Disneyland may be where all childhood dreams come true, but Disneyland is also quickly becoming a foodie mecca as well. With a wide array of culinary pleasures to choose between, from carts to fine dining, here are our picks for best Disneyland eats.
On The Go
For a quick bite on the go

Your bags are packed, and you have your Mickey ears ready to go. A Disneyland vacation is on the horizon. There's so much to do and see in the parks - from the rides to the characters - but the real treat is pulling up a chair and being a guest for some tasty food at Disneyland. The food is

A life-long love affair has officially and finally come to an end. A relationship based on a deep and unqualified affection that began back in 1955 when we were both young, and has lasted for about 40 years, is over kaput.
The magic is gone and, it pains me to say so, never again to be

Over the top is a good thing at Disneyland California.
The bigger, the brighter, the brasher and the more blockbuster, the better at the Happiest Place on Earth.
Take for instance the theme parks' latest attraction World of Color - a night-time spectacle of 1,200 fountains that shoot

When you think about budgeting on your vacation to Disneyland, you don't want to be thinking just about money, you need to be thinking about your time too.
During the summertime, the Disneyland Resort starts to fill up with lots of guests and the idea of riding all the attractions without

[*This article has been edited non-Disneyland Info removed--RLM*]
Disneyland
It's not surprising that the 1955 breakthrough occurred in Los Angeles. It grew out of the resident movie industry's capabilities and the special kind of ingenuity that for years had gone into inventing convincing

This month and next, I shall be comparing the Lands of The Future found in the two Disneyland parks closest to my heart (California and Paris). In California, as per Florida, Tokyo and Hong Kong, this land is called Tomorrowland; in Paris this is called Discoveryland.
For the benefit of these

It's D-Day for Daniel Fallon as he fulfils a lifelong dream, his three children in tow.
Disneyland. This single word can evoke so many images. As a child I would dream about Mickey Mouse clowning about with his famous cartoon friends behind the walls of Sleeping Beauty's castle, as fireworks

In spite of what some internet pundits and self-righteous types would have you believe, being a film critic and entertainment journalist does not mean you're handed the keys to Hollywood along with your W-9. Attending screenings and junkets, transcribing interviews, and spending the vast majority

Disneyland is billed as the happiest place on Earth. It's hard to argue otherwise.
A cast member helping visitors climb into a canal boat in Storybook Land told my family that Walt Disney's vision for his theme park was to "have every person, whether 9 or 90, feel like a kid again."
Were

Attention Mickey and Minnie Mouse: A group of kids from Yountville are looking to meet the both of you first thing this morning.
Nothing says excitement like a trip to Disneyland. For 45 Yountville kids and their families, that excitement reached a fever pitch as they boarded a bus Friday

Disneyland gets sued for injuries and deaths all of the time. Believe me, I get that accidents happen, but most of these tourists are simply victims of their own stupidity. Mild disclaimer: a few of these I've read about on only one site, so I'm not entirely sure they happened. Now, let's get down

It wasn't until I was almost finished with the human stupidity portion of this "Dangerous Disney" article that I realized that this should be a two-parter, so that (in addition to keeping it from being too long) some might hopefully regain some faith in humanity. Here is that second part. Again,

From smooching in the tunnels to wide-eyed kids and sobbing adults, our readers have been through it all in Disneyland's 50 years.
We've chosen excerpts from our favorite stories and photos among scores of tales told by readers who've paid countless visits to "The Happiest Place on Earth."

A dynamic 24-hour party will kick off the summer and launch the Disneyland Resort Diamond Celebration, May 22-23, as guests enjoy the thrilling premieres of three, new nighttime spectaculars: the glittering "Paint the Night" parade and the groundbreaking "Disneyland Forever" fireworks show at

You have to look quickly, and you have to know exactly where to look. But if you do, you'll catch a pretty cool inside joke at Disneyland.
On the Star Tours ride, just before your runaway Starspeeder exits the space station, keep your eye on the lower right side of the screen: You flash past

When I told a New York friend I was heading to Disneyland to explore its appeal for adults, his immediate retort was that it would be a very brief visit. And when our group, not a person under 35, walked through the gates of Disneyland on a warm Saturday and contemplated the crush of elbow-high

With demand continuing to grow for Disney parks and movies, the entertainment giant announced plans to add new attractions throughout its parks, including a new Marvel superhero expansion in Anaheim.
During its fan exposition D23 in Anaheim, Disney officials on Saturday revealed details of

Each day, thousands of visitors to Walt Disney Co.'s theme parks ride pulse-pounding attractions that propel them into space, plunge them multiple stories and send them racing along tracks at stomach-churning speeds.
For the most part, visitors ride without worrying much about the risks,

Disneyland's Big Thunder Mountain Railroad will undergo its biggest project in more than three decades when the ride closes Monday for at least nine months.
The Frontierland ride, which mimics a runaway mine train through an Old West canyon, will close so crews can begin a makeover that will

The 50th anniversary bash will last for 18 months -- long enough to give every Disney fan on the planet a chance to attend the party.
Most of these changes will premiere May 5 (that's 05/05/05 for numerical emphasis):
* A new parade, ``Walt Disney's Parade of Dreams,'' will feature floats

California safety regulators have fined a Disney contractor $60,995 after a worker was injured while cleaning the Space Mountain ride.
The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health says Los Angeles-based HSG Inc. violated several safety rules. The fine was levied on Friday.
A

They worked, met, had their first date, and got engaged at Disneyland, with proposal coming in a dreamy location.
Ride operator Andrew Salter met Alyssa Allinson on her first day on the job at Disneyland.
Five months later, Salter asked her out for a first date at Disneyland.

Disneyland features new shows, attractions, rides and a dedicated agent Web site to keep retailers excited and informed
The road to Disneyland may be laden with bulldozers and big plans, but the destination is worth it, both before and after the opening of the next big Disney venture, Disney's

My wife and I have 21-month-old identical twin boys. Maybe a month ago we took them down south for their first trip to Disneyland (and the companion park California Adventure). As a southern California native (I still cannot bring myself to type out SoCal), I had been to Disneyland enough that once

Two boys vacationing at Disneyland sprinted to Space Mountain when the park opened Wednesday morning, hoping to be first in line.
But the escalator leading to their favorite roller coaster was on fire.
The English boys were told the ride, being worked on as part of Tomorrowland

As Disneyland puts away the 50th anniversary party hats from its 18-month celebration, Walt Disney Co. executives are faced with their next challenge: how to avoid a midlife crisis at the company's theme parks.
Banking on the momentum of their packed theme parks, Disney executives this week

Martin A. "Marty" Sklar, a right-hand man of Walt Disney and central figure in the development and expansion of his company's theme parks around the world, has died.
Disneyland spokeswoman Suzi Brown confirmed Sklar's death for The Associated Press. He died Thursday at his Hollywood Hills home

Signaling the end of an era at Walt Disney Co., Marty Sklar is stepping down as the principal creative executive of Walt Disney Imagineering, the company's theme park design and development arm.
Sklar, 72, is one of the last remaining employees who once worked closely with the Burbank

It's not such a small world after all. As Disneyland celebrates its 50th birthday, the park is grappling with a harsh reality of middle age: Mickey Mouse's entourage has put on a few pounds.
To accommodate the ballooning bodies of American workers, the Magic Kingdom is redesigning some of its

Walt Disney Co. is exploiting Internet commerce faster and more furiously than all but a handful of high-tech companies, allowing consumers to do everything from buying Winnie the Pooh to booking a vacation with the click of a mouse.
That same mouse, however, can lead Disney fans -- including

Disney is cracking down on the use of selfie sticks on rides at the company's theme parks, with reports of new signs being put into place at certain attractions in both the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World in Florida and Disneyland in Anaheim.
While selfie sticks are allowed in the parks,

Disney Parks has officially released details on the new "Star Wars" experience at Disneyland Park in Southern California and Disney's Hollywood Studios in Florida.
The Season of the Force will begin Monday, Nov. 16 at California's Disneyland Park. Guests will meet some of their favorite "Star

There's all kinds of tricks, tips, and tidbits when it comes to visiting a mega theme park like those in the Disney empire. However, one of the best secrets was a kind of loophole in the FastPass ride reservation system over at Walt Disney World and Disneyland.
It wasn't really that big of a

Keeping the porch light on shone a new meaning for me recently.
Our family journeyed down to Disneyland for seven days to explore The Happiest Place on Earth. I have visited Disneyland twice before so I was eagerly looking forward to sharing the magic with my wife and the rest of our family.

A Disneyland machinist, struck by a Space Mountain vehicle last week, remained hospitalized Tuesday in a critical-care unit, officials said.
The 68-year-old employee was injured Oct. 3 after the park closed. The machinist was returning a vehicle that had been out of commission back onto the

Disney parks are known for thrilling rides, epic foods and drink, and a creatively magical experience. The original Disneyland park in California has many rides that match up with Florida's Disney World, but not all rides are created equal. For example, the Space Mountain in Disney World is

Disneyland The Happiest Place on Earth turns 55 this summer. Clearly, Walt Disney's dream of creating a family park where parents and children could have fun together is here to stay.
But that's not to say Disneyland hasn't seen its share of changes in 5½ decades. Indeed, one of the biggest

It happens every time we set our eyes on the iconic visage of Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty Castle: Swelling up inside us is a fierce urge to plunge through the crowd and make a mad dash toward Space Mountain.
At least that's the way it goes when we have children in tow. A parent's gut says

As the holiday season approaches, Disney Imagineers get busy modifying some of the attractions at Disneyland for the holidays.
First up: It's a Small World. The boat ride with the infamous song is closed until Nov. 9 so lights and holiday music can be installed for its holiday overlay.

The birth of space exploration in the middle of the 1950s affected both sides of the globe, but before the Space Race there was the Cold War. There was a fair share of unilateral fear from several previous wars. As a result, it pitted the United States against Russia in a "race" for strategic

What do you get the park that has everything for its 60th anniversary? Nothing, because giving a theme park a gift would be silly. Instead, Disneyland is celebrating its anniversary this summer with a new firework show and parade, along with a revamped World of Color show at California Adventure.

With childlike gleams in their eyes and notebooks in hand, nearly two dozen corporate managers from three Orange County companies visited Disneyland last week - but not just to have fun.
They went as part of a UC Irvine Extension program in search of Walt Disney Co. innovations, insights, and

Attention Disney Space Mountain attraction riders, you need to get to Disneyland immediately to get your fix. Unless you want to wait a month to ride the attraction as it is about to be closed
According to the Disneyland website, the Space Mountain Attraction is being shut down for several

Disneyland, an oasis of niceness in a cynical world wracked by terrorism, war and scandal, celebrates its 50th anniversary on May 5.
And what a birthday party it promises to be: 18 months of "the Happiest Homecoming on Earth", starring every Disney character you know, from Mickey Mouse to

At 8 a.m. today, Tonya Mickesh and Jeff Reitz were to go through the entrance turnstiles to Disneyland for the 366th day in a row. It's a journey that's seen them spend 24 hours in the park for the 24-hour Leap Day, watch baby ducks grow up, and go from unemployed to full-time jobs while becoming

Disneyland will never be complete. It's a statement the amusement park's creator, the late Walt Disney, was fond of mentioning when talking about the future of Disneyland.
There will always be a change to be made, or new technology to add to the California theme park, Disney predicted.

Disneyland has long talked of giving their Tomorrowland section of the park an overhaul. And with the new "Tron Legacy" film set to be released later this year, the wheels are in motion to add it to the plans.
"Tron Legacy" is a much-anticipated sequel to the popular original '80s "Tron" film.

Last night I was at the Disneyland Resort. On the first day of June, you would think it would be crazy busy and impossible to play. Not so! I had a wonderful time and the park was busy, but not crazy busy!
And when you decide to go to the Disneyland Resort, planning is the key to have a great

When I told a friend I was heading to Disneyland to explore its appeal for adults, his immediate retort was that it would be a very brief visit. And when our group, not a person under 35, walked through the gates of Disneyland on a warm Saturday and contemplated the crush of elbow-high humanity

Disneyland overlords, all about branding and stealth marketing, apparently have an in-house name for the likes of me: "nonfamily guests."
I've been called worse.
It's nothing derisive - derision and mockery, after all, is verboten at "The Happiest Place on Earth" - but I cannot help but

Think you're too cynical, sophisticated, debauched or underfunded to visit the Happiest Place on Earth? This one's for you.
I am of Disneyland. My love for Walt Disney's 54-year-old theme park can move (space!) mountains. In fact, my love for Disneyland is so perfect and so complete that I

A recent four-night stay at Disneyland proves that this rich, glorious theme park, celebrating its 50th anniversary from now until 2007, is best enjoyed as a planned excursion, not as a whim.
Begin with Birnbaum's, an indispensable annual paperback that's available for around twelve dollars.

Toontown, Disneyland's first new "land" in 20 years, will unveil its latest attraction--Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin--on Toontown's first birthday, Jan. 26.
Car Toon Spin is a gas.
Those at the Disney-sponsored second annual Disneyana Convention in mid-September were treated to a gala evening

Here's what's new for Disneyland's 50th anniversary, an event being celebrated at Disney parks around the world starting this weekend. All attractions are at Disneyland, unless otherwise noted.
50 Magical Years: Exhibit and film about how Disneyland was created. Open daily in the Opera House.

The 50th anniversary bash will last 18 months - long enough to give every Disney fan on the planet a chance to attend the party.
Most of these changes will premiere Thursday (that's 05/05/05, a date Disneyland chose for numerical emphasis):
* A new parade, "Walt Disney's Parade of

Stormtroopers, Duffy the Bear and Phineas and Ferb are set to crash Mickey's Halloween Party at Disneyland.
Mickey's Halloween Party is a series of after-hours parties that include an exclusive fireworks show, trick-or-treating, a character costume party and dance parties.
Beginning on

We're not yet finished with the hot summer months in the desert, but at Disneyland, already it's time to think about Halloween. If nothing else, thoughts of October may work as a psychological diversion from the heat.
Tickets for the annual Mickey's Halloween Party went on sale weeks ago for

Ghosts are coming back to Space Mountain. And Jack Skellington and the rest of "The Nightmare Before Christmas" crew are taking over the Haunted Mansion.
But before those attractions can take on their Halloween season look, they will shut down for a bit.
The Haunted Mansion closed today

It's no secret Utahns love Disneyland!
Let me preface the posting by saying this plan has been tried and tested by hundreds of loyal viewers in addition to yours truly. It's a great way to tackle the very best Disneyland has to offer in a time efficient manner.
So first things first.

The First Hint that my mission will be daunting: I tell the cast member in Guest Relations the title of the article I'm researching, and she starts to giggle. Disneyland in a day? Who am I kidding? "It might be a little hard," she says, handing me my tickets, "to do it all in a day."

Disneyland in the fall...should you or shouldn't you? Is it too crowded, is it too hot?
The answer...I loved it! The kids and I made our big trek last week and this time my four year old is finally 42 inches. (That's the magical Disneyland height to get on most of the big rides!) I

"Star Wars: The Last Jedi" doesn't open in theaters until Dec. 15, but Disneyland visitors who board a vehicle on the Star Tours attraction will get an early glimpse of scenes from the film starting this week.
Disneyland will add scenes from the newest "Star Wars" movie to its Star Tours

Disneyland issues up to 10 VIP FastPasses on an average day to "extremely high-profile guests" enabling Hollywood celebrities, professional athletes and state and federal politicians to skip long lines at some of the Anaheim theme park's most popular rides and attractions, officials said.

I miss the mountains.
Not the Cascades. Not even the Olympics. I love 'em, but those aren't the mountains I'm talking about.
I miss Thunder Mountain. Space Mountain. Splash Mountain. I miss the Matterhorn.
I'm in Disneyland withdrawal, baby.
I've had the blues ever since my

When my adventurous eight-year-old resorted to a sympathetic pep talk to convince me to ride Disneyland's Space Mountain with him, the role-reversal was too embarrassing to refuse.
On that magical, starlit, pleasantly disorienting plunge, with my son holding my hand, I had my Disneyland moment:

Disneyland is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a bang. A lot of them, actually. A pyrotechnic extravaganza is being unleashed nightly as the latest manifestation of the park's fireworks show, and it's an impressive one.
As Disneyland pays homage to some of its most popular attractions

Two months ago, I was warned that my article for the July issue would be about my first memories of Disneyland.
I knew from the outset how hard this would be.
If I had been asked about my first visit to Florida's Magic Kingdom this would be easy. It was November 18th 1988, which was

"Are you in good health?" asks Olivia, my 9-year-old niece. We're waiting in line for the Hollywood Tower of Terror, which she says is the scariest ride at Disney's California Adventure, the theme park that opened next door to Disneyland in 2001.
"I like to think I am," I respond.
"Do

Disneyland officials Wednesday had no comment on a Superior Court lawsuit filed on behalf of the family of a woman who died last August following a fide on the amusement park's Space Mountain rollercoaster.
Sherill Anne Hoffman lapsed into unconsciousness while on the ride Aug. 14 and died at

If you live within an hour of the Disneyland Resort, you might want to have your next date at the Park. I mean if you think about it, Disneyland is made for fun and what could be more fun than getting a chance to know someone while playing a little too. It could ease the tension and bring a

Last year, my boyfriend and I wanted to go somewhere fun but romantic but local for our New Years Eve. We had just gotten back from a major trip to Belize, so we weren't in the mood for anything that would stretch our brains or require too much planning. Disneyland seemed like the best choice -- an

Deprived of Vitamin D and perplexed with ways of entertaining children indoors as rain and snow pelt their windows, many families throw in the towel this time of year and book a pilgrimage to that storied place that bills itself as the Happiest Place on Earth: Disneyland.
But this hot spot can

Ghost Seen at Disneyland isn't official part of Halloween Time
The Disneyland Ghost was posted on Youtube very casually and it has got the chatter of Disney Fans going insane with theories.
This is a video of a 'ghost' walking through Disneyland the back of the park including the

The jack-o'-lanterns started magically appearing this week at Disneyland as the Halloween season grows near.
At the same time, the 60th anniversary decorations were magically disappearing into Yesterland. The large "60" button on the front of Sleeping Beauty Castle was removed, as were most of

Like scores of other Disneyland fans, Craig Yoshihara has developed his own time-tested technique for avoiding long wait times for rides in the park.
The pastor from Dinuba, Calif., who visits at least once a month, rushes in as soon as the gates open and quickly heads to Space Mountain and

Welcome to the world of pirates," says Walt Disney Imagineering executive Bruce Vaughn as he describes the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland.
A "world" is how he conceives of the ride - a seemingly mundane description that has implications not only for Disney's recent updates of that

The last time I went to Disneyland I got to drive the jeep in the Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom ride. Unfortunately, my family disobeyed instructions and looked into the eye of the idol, so we were condemned to a terrifying adventure before finally returning safely to the loading dock.

Friday the 13th - Sept. 13, 2013 - will offer extra chills this year at the Disneyland Resort. On that day, The Happiest Place on Earth gets spookier as Halloween Time returns with Disney villains, Mickey Mouse and his friends in Halloween costumes, a Dia de los Muertos celebration and the special

The self-proclaimed "happiest place on Earth" is about to become a whole lot happier.
When Disneyland Resort's new 12-acre Cars Land opens in time for next summer's tourist blitz, it will represent the latest achievement in the world of "imagineering" a word that was coined to emphasize the

Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort is a one-of-a-kind celebration of chilling, family friendly fun. From Friday, Sept. 12, through Friday, Oct. 31, guests will explore their spooky Disney Side with special Halloween transformations of Haunted Mansion and Space Mountain; encounter Disney

Space Mountain is one of the most thrilling attractions at Disneyland. So in 2009, Disney Imagineers decided to make it more thrilling for Halloween by turning it into Ghost Galaxy.
Spooky sounds emanate from the building as you walk up the entrance ramp. At night, there are images of a ghost

Disneyland will reopen Space Mountain this summer after a two-year overhaul.
The indoor roller coaster was 26 years old and its track needed major work when it was closed in April 2003.
It will debut on July 15 -- in time for Disneyland's official 50th anniversary on July 17 -- and will

A car derailed on a roller coaster at Disneyland, killing one man and injuring 10 others on Friday morning, city officials said.
A car on the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad attraction derailed while the train went through a dark tunnel about 2:20 p.m. EDT, said officials in Anaheim,

You've probably heard about Star Wars Land, the new themed area coming to Disneyland and Disney's Hollywood Studios in Orlando. Like all things Star Wars, it's gotten a ton of press over the last few months, including a heavily hyped prime-time sneak preview during the Disneyland 60th Anniversary

Disneyland's Space Mountain remains closed for safety repair work, two weeks after state regulators cited the park for hazards to maintenance workers on the outside of the attraction.
Disneyland officials, who said they have no estimate on when the ride will reopen, closed Space Mountain and

A spectacular fireworks show still lights up the sky over the Fantasyland castle every night at Disneyland in California.
THE DISNEY "cast members" (known more commonly as park employees) were directing one-way pedestrian traffic around the Disneyland square as if it were rush hour on

Nobody does fun better than Walt and his successors.
She lost her stuffed puppy somewhere between the Enchanted Tiki Room and Tomorrowland.
Too much ground to cover and thousands of people meant the search was futile -- we retraced our steps, but no puppy.
To us, her parents, it

I went to Disneyland today.
I was expecting the worst. It's a Saturday. Great weather, the place would be packed.
I drive up and see parking is $12. Lame. But then, at a Charger game a few weeks ago, parking was $25. Yikes.
My girlfriend and I had both been to California Adventure

No trip to Los Angeles is complete without a visit to Disneyland. I haven't been here in years, but Sleeping Beauty's castle looks as beautiful as ever. What can I say? It appeals to my inner princess and will always be a Disney landmark.
Like Universal Studios, the crowds were smaller and

1954-Summer Construction gets under way and Disneyland begins to emerge from the surrounding bean fields and orange groves of Anaheim.
1955-July 17 The opening day ceremonies are beamed coast-to-coast in a TV special. One of the hosts: actor Ronald Wilson Reagan.
1956-October Attendance hits

Disneyland is set to close multiple attractions and eateries next month to make room for the new "Star Wars"-themed land in the Orange County theme park.
The 14-acre project would be Disney's largest single themed land expansion, CEO Bob Iger said when he announced the project in August at the

To make way for "Star Wars," Disneyland is about to launch its largest expansion ever, which means shutting down a significant chunk of the Anaheim theme park.
In January, 10 attractions and eateries will close - some temporarily, some permanently - only a few months after the resort hiked the

The parks' CEO will need a little magic to preserve what Walt Disney created while ushering in necessary growth and change. It's a challenge he relishes. 'It truly is the greatest job in the world. A lot of people may say that, but I truly can say that.'
Michael Colglazier treats the immense

Oh, boy! The Disneyland Resort Diamond Celebration begins today!
Disneyland Park opened in Anaheim, Calif., on July 17, 1955, and ever since, it has entertained millions of guests from all over the world. That's no small feat!
"It's amazing to contemplate all that Disneyland has come to

WHAT: "The Happiest Homecoming on Earth," the 50th anniversary celebration of the opening of Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif. Anaheim is 27 miles south of Los Angeles and 100 miles north of San Diego.
* WHEN: The 18-month fete begins May 5 and runs through October 2006, which means there's no

People who are traveling in the southern California area always wonder should I go to Knott's Berry Farm or got to Disneyland. Personally I think they are both great places to visit and have a good
time with family and friends. The both have great attractions to ride and play at. For example,

Disneyland, a monument to childhood, is also a test of how well you've grown up. Your first visit is guaranteed to be interesting, just as the first time you drive a car, have sex or spend a night by yourself is filled with wonder. But by the tenth or hundredth time you do it, amazement will elude

I never thought I would get a chance to work at Disneyland. This was my life's' goal - to be a Cast Member.
Growing up in the Southern California desert, we were close enough to get to visit Disneyland at least once a year. The 2-hour drive seemed to never end until I or my siblings could

Part of the magic of the Magic Kingdom, of course, is that despite the slings and arrows peppering the outside world, it somehow remains as seemingly immutable as one of Aristotle's First Causes, or Walt's immortal mouse, whose 60th birthday the park-itself pushing a healthy 33-is celebrating this

A refurbished old standard, Space Mountain, and a new, high-tech interactive ride, Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters, will help Disneyland mark its 50th anniversary with a prolonged celebration.
"If there is one year to be at Disneyland, this is it," said Disneyland Resort spokesman Tim O'Day,

Disney was inspired a half-century ago to build a special amusement park in California-a place where adults and children would be amazed by a tropical forest, astonished by a fairy tale castle and astounded by sights of the space age.
Disney, a man of creativity, talent and perseverance, ran a

Disneyland's popular Space Mountain roller coaster and another ride are temporarily closed after the company received citations from state regulators last week that prompted a review of its employee safety protocols, a spokeswoman said Sunday.
After receiving the citations Friday, company

Disneyland is often called "The Happiest Place on Earth". When you break it down, this claim has a lot of validity. Magic comes to life when your favorite childhood characters begin dancing in front of you. Suddenly Belle, Prince Charming and Mickey Mouse come alive in one location, forcing you to

The Space Mountain ride at Disneyland has been made over for Halloween terrors, officials at the California amusement park say.
The Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy, which opened its doors to the public Friday, feature's the original ride's star-spangled tunnel ride before the stars align into a

If it's true that one man's trash is another man's treasure, then Brian Ramsey has found a gold mine.
A self-described Disney fanatic, he became obsessed with things the company was just getting rid of, WESH 2 News reported.
He's collected props, costumes, banners from the parks, and

If you experienced a Disney theme park as a child, you might remember the joy of meeting Mickey Mouse, fear at the sight of ghosts in The Haunted Mansion or inevitable end-of-day exhaustion as fireworks burst overhead and Tinkerbell zipped through the sky.
But how do these Happiest and Most

Mickey and Minnie Mouse welcomed some famous friends to their Disneyland home Wednesday to help the theme park kick off its Happiest Homecoming 50th anniversary celebration, which continues through the end of 2006.
Former Mouseketeer Christina Aguilera was spotted in the Haunted Mansion,

The key to a great theme park attraction is the same as with any other form of entertainment -great attractions tell great stories. But what makes a story great?
Obviously, some tales endure for generations and passing that test of time is as good a sign as any that a story has reached

They say that Disneyland Resort can't be experienced fully in one day, and they are right. There are just too many rides, dining locations, shows, parades, shops, interactive areas, character meets, and all of those famous Disney touches along the way to really do everything. Pace yourself.

An overstatement, certainly. But the truth is that every aspect of Disneyland -- from its Fastpass ride system, to its months-in-advance reservations for popular "character meals," to its early-entry admission perks -- rewards organization and discourages instant gratification.
Can you have a

From an overnight stay inside Cinderella Castle to a Golden FASTPASS, dreams big and small will come true at Disneyland and Walt Disney World resorts during Disney's "Year of a Million Dreams," a first-of-its-kind celebration of the individual dreams of Disney Parks guests.
The year-long

PERSPECTIVE
My youngest son's first roller coaster was Disneyland's Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. He had just turned four, proudly towered an inch or so over the 40-inch minimum, and jumped on with a wide smile. He loved it - as much for the excitement of the ride itself as for the

OUT-SIZED OCTOBER: Back in the day -- so, lo about the 1960s and '70s, give or take -- you couldn't top summer for Disneyland's busiest season. Grad nights and date nights and concerts and special events filled out the warm weather months, and those oh-so-popular overnights, too (those still come

The magic continues at Disneyland's Halloween Time which brings a spook-tacular twist to the beloved southern California park.
Disneyland works to bring different elements to its Halloween Time festivities each year and feature new special additions. Some are found inside the Haunted Mansion

During "Year of a Million Dreams" celebration at the Disneyland Resort, guests can dream and play like kids with two special vacation offers.
For a limited time, kids can fly free to the Disneyland Resort from major U.S. cities. Each child (ages 2-11) flies free with the corresponding purchase

When Disneyland throws a party, you know we're gonna be there - and Disneyland After Dark: Throwback Nite was no exception. Disneyland's first event in a forthcoming series of themed nights this year was an ode to the rides, tunes, and thrills of yesteryear, complete with food, music,

I'm on bended knee in front of hundreds of strangers when it strikes me that the magic never really dies.
Beauty and the Beast - the 1991 Disney film that made history as the first animated movie up for Best Picture at the Oscars - was also the first film I ever saw at the cinemas.

With the recent launch of a new direct flight between Toronto's Pearson International Airport and the John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, CA, Air Canada teamed up with the folks at Disneyland and the tourism boards of Orange County, Anaheim, Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, and Huntington Beach to send a

Two Fastpass bar-code readers temporarily stationed at the entrance of Space Mountain are not a precursor to the much-discussed Magic Bands, a Disney official said on Tuesday.
Disneyland spokeswoman Betsy Sanchez said the bar-code readers are being tested for the next few days to measure their

Perhaps you've visited a certain theme park located at 1313 Disneyland Drive in Anaheim over the last few months with a specific, sparkly-eyed goal in mind: Be dazzled, once again, by the Main Street Electrical Parade.
The limited-time experience, which has wended its way through Disneyland

Free to all guests
Available for 13 attractions
Spend less time standing in line
The FASTPASS attraction entrances are separate, with much shorter lines
Park admission passport goes into the machine
A ticket prints out with a window of time to return
Simple to use

Space Mountain, Indiana Jones Adventure, Haunted Mansion, Toy Story Mania! and 'World of Color' are among the best attractions.
The granddaddy of American theme parks changes little from year to year but seems to get better with age.
Among my favorite Disneyland standbys: The Space

A couple weeks ago I traveled down to Los Angeles for a very unusual press day for Disney Animation Studio's new film The Princess and the Frog. Disney is really hoping to promote the return to hand drawn animation with an old school Disney look and feel, and took a group of online journalists on a

Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage at the Disneyland Resort is one of the most popular attractions at the park. This attraction, hosted by Nemo, is where you will find long lines and great big smiles.
Each of the 8 submarines 'float' along the track and share in the experience of being under the

Pirates of the Caribbean and Space Mountain Rank as Park Favorites
Tower of Terror Provides a Perfect Thrill
Blue Bayou and Napa Rose Sweep the Restaurant Competition
Disneyana and World of Disney Set Shopping Pace
Zagat Survey today released its first Disneyland Resort

For many years, Disneyland which celebrated its 56th anniversary this past July 17 was a place we thought we might never see. Since 1972, we were "regulars" at Walt Disney World, yet Disneyland was as far away in distance as it was in our travel plans.
We finally broke down and made it to

On the eve of the actual 50th anniversary of Disneyland (July 17, 2005), Disney celebrates 50 years of theme park magic by announcing the results of a national consumer survey, conducted by independent research firm, Directive Analytics, that reveals what America loves most about Disneyland in

You know, being a ghost stuck at Disneyland doesn't sound all that bad. It's better than haunting some family in Texas, right?
Like any place with a rich history, Disneyland's got its fair share of urban legends and myths surrounding it--take the cryogenically frozen head of Unky Walt for an

When Walt Disney World opened its gates in Florida in 1971, Disneyland started taking the proverbial backseat to its younger (and much larger) sibling.
Disneyland was just a theme park. Disney World was a destination.
Of course, since then Disneyland has made great strides in making its

A lot has changed at Disneyland since the park first opened in 1955.
Over the nearly six decades that have passed since its debut, many things at the Happiest Place on Earth have either been lost over time or met with a wrecking ball during one of the park's many expansions and

Most teens who have $300 to spend are going to come up with similar wish lists: An Xbox. An iPod. Fifteen copies of "High School Musical."
Andrew Vivas Anabu took the same amount of money and transformed his San Leandro backyard into a theme park experience -- building a nighttime special

Being a frequent Disneyland visitor, I never figured a day would come that the highlight of a Disney resort visit would be a live-action performance of a cartoon beloved by 8-year-olds everywhere.
But, yes, perhaps hell has "Frozen" over.
Of course, my main motivation in going to

The sunbelt in general, and Disneyland in particular, seemed a logical place for a demobilized veteran of the Carter battalion to reprogram his brain before jumping back into age of Reagan. So off I went. Disneyland first opened in 1955, the year some of the new Republican members of Congress were

The OC may have gotten the axe but the real Orange County is alive and thriving.
Our very own Dennis Hensley ventures behind the orange curtain for Gay Days at Disneyland and much, much more. Do these mouse ears make me look gay?
Day 1 - Thursday, October 4 - Anaheim, CA
A Menage I

George McGinnis, the last Imagineer hired by Walt Disney, has died. He was 87.
McGinnis was the show designer on a variety of projects while at Walt Disney Imagineering including Space Mountain at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World.
McGinnis' senior project while attending the Art

Ghouls and goblins and spooky new fireworks are just a few of the chilling changes at Disneyland for Halloween fun -- starting tonight!
For the younger kids, "Halloween Time" offers families a chance to celebrate the season with some of Disney's most beloved characters decked out in seasonal

The morning after President Barack Obama interrupted "The Simpsons" to inform the country about the death of Osama bin Laden, my husband and I drove down to Disneyland.
Now this was not a spur-of-the-moment, Munchkin-style "the wicked old witch at last is dead" kind of celebration. That would

The thing that surprised me about Disneyland is how much fun I had without my kid.
No, we didn't go by ourselves we brought our daughter. And we all had a blast. It was a couple days of fairies and magic and 5,000-calorie meals dipped in sugar and then glazed. Just like Walt envisioned.

It's been a little more than a week since we've returned from our family trip to Disneyland. I'm almost scared to admit this, but I'd happily return with my four-year-old son, Nolan and his eight-month-old brother, Quin. Now that we've experienced the chaos once, I know what I'd do to make it even

I've been working on a Chronicle magazine article about Bay Area roller coasters, which doesn't suck as far as assignments go. You can expect a lot of coaster-themed posts when it comes out in July.
While conducting my research, I ran into an article about the Disneyland ticketing system,

It has been said children grow up way too quickly these days, but every generation must have their own version of this story. At the same time it is also said that youth is wasted on the young. Thanks to the Disney Corporation, we now have indisputable, verifiable evidence that something is

Disneyland is not just for sugar-soaked kids. Consider, all you grown-up women out there, going for a gals' day out.
That's exactly what my childhood friend Joanna and I, both of us in our 30s, recently did instead of heading to the beach or shopping. Did we channel our inner princesses? Nope.

What was once in a galaxy far, far away is coming to a theme park near you. Construction begins on Disneyland's new Star Wars Land this month.
The debut of the much-anticipated 14-acre mega-attraction will be the biggest land expansion ever at Disneyland - but fans will have to wait a while to

Holiday "overlays," as Disney calls them are nothing new to Disneyland, which I visited on a recent vacation. An "overlay" is when a ride gets re-decorated for the holidays, and there are two great examples right now at Disneyland.
Here's one more snapshot of differences between California's

From pumpkins and fall colors to spooky fun, I kinda wish it were Halloween Time all the time.
Especially at the Happiest Place on Earth.
This past weekend, the monster and I had the privilege of attending a mom blogger event at Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure, where they

The Jack O'Lanterns have taken over Main Street U.S.A. at Disneyland as the Halloween season is in full force. But along with Halloween comes the other major part of autumn at Disneyland, refurbishments.
Scrims were up on a variety of shops and attractions throughout the parks and Downtown

Today, Disneyland's Tomorrowland is populated with characters from "Star Wars," "Toy Story" and, increasingly, figures from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But long before there were meet-and-greet sessions with the likes of Captain America or Thor, Tomorrowland was home to a different sort of

Disneyland used to be a "one and done" visit a one-day rush through Disneyland with a pit stop at California Adventure for a couple of favorite rides and then home. That's almost impossible to do now as the new-and-improved California Adventure with Cars Land is a destination itself and Disneyland

When Disneyland closes for the night, members of its overnight shift are just arriving.
Starting at 11:30 p.m., the third shift crew at the Disneyland Resort begins its nightly routine. Machinists inspect the rides, gardeners mow lawns and trim trees, and the custodial crew rolls out

The magic of Disneyland and California Adventure parks gets "super pixie dusted" during the holiday season coming up Nov. 21-Jan. 4, but so do the lines. Better to plan your magical excursion in the next couple of weeks before the holiday rush.
Here are some tips for making the most of your

Starting October 1, Honda will present a month-long 2006 Civic-A-Day giveaway at the Disneyland Resort as part of the re-launch of "Space Mountain," American Honda Motor Co. and Disneyland Resort jointly announced today.
Honda's "The Coolest Ride in the Galaxy" sweepstakes is the latest

Starting October 1, Honda will present a month-long 2006 Civic-A-Day giveaway at the Disneyland Resort as part of the re-launch of "Space Mountain," American Honda Motor Co. and Disneyland Resort jointly announced today.
Honda's "The Coolest Ride in the Galaxy" sweepstakes is the latest

This week, our unlicensed astrologers tell your fortune based on your favorite attraction at Disneyland.
Splash Mountain
Drinking a can of beer through a straw is totally unclassy, but drinking an entire pitcher that way will make you the biggest badass in a 12-mile radius.
Dumbo

Candy! Costumes! Calacas! Halloween has always been a fan-favorite holiday. Without much in the way of religion or tradition to take priority, this is a day of pure fun. A time for kids to indulge in way too much sugar, and for adults to dress up in otherwise-socially-unacceptable costumes before

"Mom, pleeeeeease can we play? Can we do something fun? This is so boooring. Monday is soooooo boring," my 6-year-old whined to me as I sat at my desk.
Nine times out of ten, I would have called in the circus and pulled out my "let me entertain you" hat. Instead of letting him be bored and

My family went to Disneyland over the Christmas holidays. The drive from San Francisco took most of a day. The park was packed to the rafters, with wait times of over an hour on many rides. My next credit card bill will probably give me a heart attack.
And you know what? We loved it. We'll

Why don't the costumed characters at Disneyland roam the park anymore without being accompanied by other employees? Why is Disneyland seemingly always spotless? Why did the once-popular Luigi's Flying Tires at California Adventure close down after only three years?
Lawsuits. Disneyland gets at

Officially, Star Wars Land at the Disney Parks is still a few years away, but anyone visiting Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., will notice that Disney's latest franchise has invaded nearly every aspect of the resort.
Disneyland visitors will notice that Star Wars is, literally, everywhere,

School is out, the kids are full of energy and expectations and parents across Utah are making summer plans. Gasoline prices have driven many Utahns to choose Disneyland as their summer destination. Here are five tips and little-known secrets for making your Magic Kingdom visit more memorable.

I'm not a fan of crowds. I like vacant beaches, empty parking lots and amusement parks with short lines. I suppose crowds and Disneyland are somewhat synonymous. As a lifelong Southern California resident, I have been to Disneyland countless times. Over the years, I have discovered a few ways to

Get this: in the middle of sun-drenched Orlando, Fla. The Walt Disney Co. is erecting a 200-foot-high replica of snow-covered Mount Everest. It's a showcase attraction scheduled to open in 2006 at Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park. The premise: Visitors board an old mountain railway headed to the

We may be older than your average kid, but we still love Disneyland. Kids of all ages do. Even more so now that we get to visit and see the park through the eyes of our 4-year-old daughter, Simone.
There are so many reasons why people come back to the Disney resorts time and time again: the

As a native of Southern California, I've been visiting Disneyland ever since I was a little girl. I have very fond memories of not being able to sleep the night before, my body positively buzzing from excitement - Disneyland! The drive to the park was almost unbearable too, especially when I caught

Want to shorten your waiting time on Space Mountain at Disneyland? Try heading to the exit instead of the entrance, where the park is currently testing out a "single rider line" option for visitors.
Disneyland already offers the option on several rides to get in a special line for people

Don't be the poncho guy.Everybody knows you can count the number of rainy days Southern Californians have to deal with on two hands. This leads to such unfortunate things as hyper-cautious drivers, crowded weekend movie theaters, and canceled outdoor events. However, there is an upside to those

When my kids hit their teens I really thought roller coasters and theme parks were behind me - at least until I had grandchildren.
Then Disneyland came out with this year's "get in free on your birthday" promotion and my bargain-hunting husband, Dan, or, as I often call him, my oldest boy, saw a

Going to Disneyland is one thing. Going to Disneyland with kids is entirely different. Instead of rides and food the focus shifts to meeting characters and finding the best spot for a quiet nap. Disneyland hacks are practically a requirement to make the day a success.
So even though I consider

Disneyland. Like many another native of Los Angeles, I have a vexed relationship with The Happiest Place on Earth.¹ A childhood spent in pure enchantment during every trip to Disneyland gave way to an adulthood plagued with guilty doubts about that special Disney brand of child consumerism and

I had a thought recently, which was strange because, at the time, I was busy pushing children and senior citizens out of my way.
No, that's not true. The word "pushing," implies that it was intentional. As far as I can remember, I didn't mean to mow down that family. I even righted the baby

Well after midnight, we sat on a concrete bench waiting for a bus. My 12-year-old son was beat. So was I.
I put my arm around him. He smiled.
"This was one of the best days of my life," he said.
I knew then it was all worth it.
Taking three kids to Disneyland doesn't qualify me

My wife and I went to Disneyland. Since becoming an adult, this was the first time I was ever there without kids or a joint. No strollers, no giant diaper bags, no getting home and realizing we had left somebody. Also, we had never seen the adjacent California Adventure so we wanted to go before it

No one said magic would be easy. Still, 50 years later, what almost no one remembers is the opening day that stumbled like Dumbo dancing in leg irons.
When the widely anticipated, but hardly completed, Disneyland opened its doors on July 17, 1955, so eager was the world to share Walt Disney's

If I could live anywhere, I would live in The Haunted Mansion, like all year long," director Guillermo del Toro said last year at Comic-Con while discussing his upcoming film featuring Disneyland's iconic haunted house. And he's not alone.
Hollywood is full of filmmakers and talent who are

The International Space Station was seen with the naked eye at Disneyland last night as it passed by- At Disneyland last night, everyone who was in the park could see a special star known as the International Space Station in a rare opportunity. Coming into sight at exactly 5:33 p.m. -- no matter

Recently, my family returned to California to attend a wedding and take a much-needed vacation. For months my wife and four kids were bubbling with excitement to go to Disneyland. As a native Californian, I went to Disneyland about once or twice a year and always had a great time.
We moved to

From a parade grand marshal who's a real turkey named Marshmallow to giant Christmas trees and Elvis sightings, both real and perhaps imagined, the holidays have arrived at The Merriest Place on Earth. And, along with nightly snow showers on Disneyland's Main Street USA has come a flurry of

An upcoming George Clooney movie is called "Tomorrowland" but is it tied to that famous, futuristic area of Disneyland?
Walt Disney Studios announced Monday that it was producing the live-action movie in which Clooney will star; the film was written by Damon Lindelof of "Lost" and Brad Bird

If Disneyland was once our great escape, California Adventure is an unsettling reminder of home We all live in Disneyland and we know it. The question is, What does it mean? On one hand, Southern California is a palm-studded paradise where any dream can come true. On the other, our cities are vast

After spending much of the day at capacity, Disneyland re-opened its gates with a little more than three hours to spare in its 24-hour day.
Park guests like Robert Llanos of Tustin spent hours waiting to cross from Disney California Adventure to Disneyland.
By 2:50 a.m., about an hour

No matter what time of day you go to Disneyland during Halloween time, there is something seasonal, festive and fun going on.
The spirit of Halloween Time visits Disneyland Resort starting in mid-September and stays through October 31. Popular attractions are re-done for the season making a

Disneyland was negligent in an accident involving the Splash Mountain ride, but the incident was not a substantial factor in the injury of a rider who sued, a jury has found..
Steven Wilson of Anaheim said in a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles that he fell while trying to

Our family usually spends Christmas Eve at Disneyland, renewing our passes and watching the fake snowfall. This year we had out-of-town company, who spent two of their five days in the Magic Kingdom, so we saw a little more of Mickey than usual.
They were at the gates when the parks opened and

Ah, the magical world of Disneyland: $12 balloons, gooey churros, themed trash cans and gaggles of teenagers squawking like magpies on crack. Nothing ruins an afternoon at the happiest place on earth quite like a herd of 15 year-olds trying to out-loud each other as they race to Space Mountain,

After tossing caps, the graduated seniors of Downey and Warren boarded rowdy school buses for Grad Nite, held at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim on June 18, to be herded like cattle, thoroughly patted down, and finally allowed to enter the amusement park and enjoy the festivities.
"I loved Grad

Visitors have just a few more days to see Halloween attractions and take part in festivities at the Disneyland Resort.
The official Halloween Time concludes Sunday, which is Halloween. After that, crews will remove pumpkin decorations and attraction makeovers at Disneyland.
Sunday is

As we walked across the broad, brick-paved plaza, a burst of music swelled, the strings rising to cinematic heights amid a pounding of kettle drums. A man in a crisp white shirt waved and beamed. Perfectly manicured flowers swayed in the breeze.
It felt, for a moment, that we had accomplished

The Disney empire has struggled recently with attacks on CEO Michael Eisner, an unsolicited takeover bid, sour ratings at ABC and complaints that the theme parks are falling into disrepair. But none of that matters to my children or to me when we step into the Magic Kingdom. Indeed, all reality is

Disneyland. The Happiest Place on Earth. The sound of the Disneyland Railroad steam whistle piercing the air. The wind blowing through your hair as you plunge into the darkness of Space Mountain. The aroma of popcorn as you stroll down Main Street U.S.A. The Magic Kingdom.
Oh, and the crowds

Opened in 1955, Disneyland in Anaheim, California has delighted visitors for decades with its eight themed "lands" of rides, shows and attractions. It just isn't possible to forget a first spin on Dumbo, rocketing through darkness on Space Mountain or singing along with those musical pirates before

Was a time when Tomorrow was big. Back in the '60s and '70s, despite-or perhaps because of-Vietnam and nuclear missiles, Tomorrow was a good place to be. They even gave it a name: Tomorrowland. Unlike the rest of Disneyland's fluff, Tomorrowland had the feel of an exhibit, a place where we learned

Happiest Place on Earth? Not Disneyland on its opening day - not even close.
People weren't even very happy trying to get to the new park on July 17, 1955, as cars backed up for seven miles on the Santa Ana Freeway. Meanwhile, at the park itself, rides broke down, restaurants ran out of food,

It's known as the Happiest Place on Earth. And judging by the wide-eyed look on my daughters' faces as we walked through the front gates of Anaheim's Disneyland Park, the statement is spot on.
Wandering up Main Street USA, the central thoroughfare at the world-famous theme park, one of the

I just got back to the real world -- from Disneyland. It was fascinating to watch people from all over the world as they were brilliantly funneled through cleverly planned entertainment. (Disclaimer: Call me "old school" but I only like the pre-Fantasia Mickey Mouse with no eye-balls and have never

The home of the Abominable Snowman is about to celebrate the Big Five-O.
The Matterhorn, the iconic mountain of faux snow and speeding bobsleds, celebrates its 50th anniversary Sunday. Disney officials estimate that it has carried more than 258 million guests.
No special ceremony is

The last time I went to Disneyland, I was an eye-rolling, headphone-wearing, anti-establishment 17-year-old, and at the end of the day, I vowed never to return. This was back in '05, on a springtime school trip in high school with the ASB and journalism classes. It was one of those trips where the

It was August 1969 and I had just turned 9 the month before. Summer was rapidly coming to an end so, as a treat, my Dad let me go with my summer camp group on a day trip to the Magic Kingdom. We were scheduled to leave early the morning of the 12th which was a Tuesday. We would spend the entire

Disneyland kicked off its "Happiest Celebration on Earth" Thursday, an 18-month-long event to commemorate its 50th birthday.
The celebration pays tribute to Walt Disney's dream of Disneyland, the original park that launched a series of Disney theme parks around the world.
"The dawn of the

Disney villains will invade Disneyland park along with Mickey Mouse and his friends in Halloween costumes when Halloween Time returns to Disneyland Resort Sept. 17 through Oct. 31. Highlights of the Disneyland Halloween season include the return of Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy the thrillingly

People have been nagging me to write a column about my recent week in Disneyland with my kids, which, if history is any indicator, should have been slightly worse than being stripped naked, drenched in honey, and tied to an anthill while listening to Kathie Lee Gifford sing "Stairway to Heaven."

Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge topped out, and Halloween is making its presence known around the Disneyland Resort as the weather finally cools in September.
The heat wave's back finally broken, and many kids have returned to school, making the first few weeks of September less crowded at Disneyland

The happiest place on earth is even happier with a four-month-old Golden Retriever. An integral and fun part of the service dog training experience is taking a trip to Disneyland. Sights, sounds, smells, and millions of distractions await the service dog-in-training at a Disneyland Park. People are

It's a late summer morning at Disneyland, and Matt Ouimet makes one of his frequent strolls down Main Street.
He greets employees, stoops to pick up stray pieces of trash and searches for any detail that will illuminate the weekly surveys of guest satisfaction that he uses as his gauge for

Disneyland's golden anniversary party began Thursday and will run through Thanksgiving 2006. We asked Bee readers to share memories of the park's early days. Here's what they recalled. Pop on your golden mouse ears and take a trip back in time ...

Disneyland is always a feast for the senses--and a trial for the feet. Truly observant folks can get a tantalizing glimpse of a charming inside joke: the world of the Hidden Mickeys.
Here and there in the park, sly Disney imagineers have tucked a graphic symbol of their boss's greatest

It had been more than seven years since we last visited the Disneyland Resort.
So much has changed since 2006 ... and, thankfully, so much remains the same at Walt Disney's ground-breaking theme park, known universally as The Happiest Place on Earth.
Disney fans who live on the East

I had never been to Disneyland. When I was growing up, we watched "The Wonderful World of Disney" TV show and thought it looked like a magical place, but the idea of piling all seven of us into the 1953 Plymouth and heading for California was not something that occurred to us.
I didn't even know

Disneyland finally 'fessed up, admitting Friday what hard-core fans have been saying for weeks.
"The subs are coming back," said Jay Rasulo, president of Walt Disney's Parks and Resorts division.
In a trifecta of events and announcements, Disneyland said Friday that it was upgrading the

A full-toothed grin was plastered on my face as I walked down Main Street in Disneyland's Magic Kingdom a few weeks ago. It was one of those smiles so big that it that actually hurts your cheeks, but I couldn't wipe it off my face.
My family was in Disneyland to celebrate several major

In a small courtroom in Orange County, Calif., last week, Attorney Allen Millstone pointed sadly to his wheelchair-bound client. In 1983 James Higgins had been a vigorous young man of 18 when he went to Disneyland and took a ride on Space Mountain. As the roller coaster rounded a bend, the youth

It's called the happiest place on Earth but at Christmastime, Disneyland gets a full, festive makeover. Bulking up its attractions, characters and music, Disneyland is extra special this time of year, even for frequent visitors. And through it all, Anaheim is quite weather-friendly in December,

A triage unit was set up near the ride and one person was wheeled to an ambulance on a stretcher.
ANAHEIM -- A locomotive broke loose from a train on Disneyland's Big Thunder Mountain Railroad roller coaster attraction Friday, killing one person and injuring 10 others, officials said. The

So you've just flown across the country, and arrived in California. You're excited to start your vacation, but wonder, is it worth heading right to the park? Maybe you're tired from a long flight. Maybe it's already after noon, and you're thinking how much can you really see? Maybe you're

It may be July still, but Disneyland is already planning its holidays and this week posted its invitation for all to Mickey's Halloween Party at Disneyland.
And the best part about this "party" is the admission price$54 to $69 per person, depending on which night you attend the event. Tickets

"Mommy, we need to go to Disneyland."
My son delivered this suggestion over a bowl of Cheerios, just after he and his little sister waged their daily war over which identical blue spoon they'd prefer.
Neither of my preschoolers remembered that their father and I had forked over hundreds

Over Presidents' Day weekend a group of friends and I embarked on a trip to the happiest place on earth in an effort to honor famous presidents of the United States, of course. Right to honor past presidents that is why we went right. Disneyland, contrary to popular belief, has played a very

Preteens are a little easier to handle at Disneyland, but sometimes not much. They are not really babies anymore, but not quite ready to let go of all the "baby" activities. This can make them a great age to take to Disneyland. They are big enough to go on most of the roller coasters, yet still

"The Dog Days of Summer" take on special significance today at Disneyland with the unusual visit to "The Happiest Place on Earth" by Nutmeg ("Meg" for short), a nine-month-old Beagle whose markings include a perfect Mickey Mouse-shaped silhouette on the top of her head. Disney "Imagineers"

The modern era has caught up with pay phones at the Disneyland Resort.
Thanks to the incredible growth of cellphones, the resort has quietly removed all the pay phones from its original theme park.
Locations such as those across from the exit to Space Mountain have been cleared of the

Most kids would probably agree that Disneyland is the happiest place on earth, but on a recent trip with my family to the Anaheim park, I couldn't help but ask: Is it the healthiest place on earth?
Disneyland's food never mattered much to me as a kid, not when Matterhorn and Space Mountain

The Red Hot Chili Peppers will entertain visitors to California's Disneyland Resort during the first few months of 2007 by helping to transform two of the resort's most popular rides with their music.
As part of the Disneyland Resort's "Year of a Million Dreams" promotion, both the venerable

I was a little worried about our trip to Disneyland, which took place last week.
Last time I went with my older son, then 4 years old, and misjudged the scariness of Pirates of the Caribbean by a factor of about 10. He didn't want to go on rides after that, pegged me as a complete liar (it

We arrived at the Disneyland gates at 9 a.m. and the line was surprisingly short. Considering the holy trifecta of popularity here (Disney, Michael Jackson, a post-mortem tribute), only about an estimated 400 fans had started lining up as early as 9 p.m. last night. Men, women and children were in

Kami McGiffin, 23, of Riverside, Calif., was the first winner of a 2006 Honda Civic on Saturday, October 1, in Honda's month-long Civic-A-Day giveaway at the Disneyland Resort. Presented daily throughout October, the contest is part of the re-launch of "Space Mountain."
Honda's "The Coolest

As soon as I heard Disneyland would be giving Space Mountain a "rock and roll" makeover, I quickly made the appropriate arrangements. When Disneyland tries to be all rockin', things can get pretty cute up in that bitch.
Take, for example, the outdoor concert area in Tomorrowland. It looks like

I think it's safe to lament that Disneyland has not been the same since Walt died. Sure, they've added some new attractions. Space Mountain many years ago, and then California Adventure and what not more recently. But think about some of those early rides, the ones that still operate and treat kids

As he was led manacled away after his conviction, serial killer Richard Ramirez, Los Angeles's infamous "Night Stalker," turned to the courtroom audience and snarled "See you in Disneyland." America recognized the turn of phrase from the familiar TV as that invariably follows the World Series or

As its 50th Anniversary celebration continues in full swing, the Disneyland Resort has been transformed into a dazzling holiday wonderland (now through January 2) featuring an unbelievable array of spectacular entertainment, amazing decorations, festive foods and favorite adventures and

Steve Finley is not a firefighter, but every day he gets to drive a fire engine for work, as he has since 1984.
How does he do it? As an attractions host at Disneyland where five days a week he drives the Fire Engine up and down Main Street U.S.A.
"It's no worse than the freeways. I

For so long, his life was about speed, or, more precisely, the rate at which he could thrill people by moving them quickly forward.
Now, his life is all about slowing down.
Bill Watkins, the guy who designed the ride at Space Mountain at Disneyland and was the first to take that ride, is

If you were in Disneyland Park on May 27, 1977, you A) might have been sporting culottes, tube socks, feathered bangs, or one of the other awesome looks from the time and B) you might have been talking about the opening of "Star Wars," which had only been out for 48 hours and C) you surely were

Space Mountain, one of the most popular rides in Disneyland, closes today for a two-year overhaul that should have it ready to relaunch for the park's 50th anniversary celebration.
After months of speculation that the roller coaster would close in September, after the big summer season, Disney

After a three-week closure to complete safety work, the popular Space Mountain attraction at Disneyland in Anaheim reopened Friday evening.
Disneyland voluntarily closed the 36-year-old ride April 13 after state regulators investigating the injury of a contract worker found violations related

Rockets will no longer be in hyperspace on Space Mountain at Disneyland.
The Disneyland Resort announced on its Parks Blog that the "Star Wars"-themed version of the ride would disappear into hyperspace at the end of May, returning to the "classic" Space Mountain.
"Hyperspace Mountain,"

Shortly after moving to California from Tucson, Ariz., I realized my childhood dream of riding Space Mountain whenever I wanted.
After a stressful day at work, I'd zip up the Santa Ana (I-5) Freeway, whiz through the ride's darkness and scream my head off - the perfect way to let off steam and

State investigators Wednesday blamed a series of human errors for September's fatal crash on Disneyland's Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, underscoring concerns by some workers that efforts to make ride maintenance more efficient have undermined the park's once-unassailable reputation for safety.

State regulators have reduced the fines and the number of citations against Disneyland over safety requirements for maintenance crews working on Space Mountain.
The state Division of Occupational Safety and Health last month issued fines of $234,850 against Disneyland for six alleged

Is Super Bowl Sunday the least busy day to visit the Happiest Place on Earth?
According to persistent online chatter and practically anyone with a Disney annual pass that doesn't black out on weekends (sorry Southern California passholders, this doesn't include you), the day of the Big Game

After our E Ticket discussion from last week, I thought picking the best Disneyland rides would be fun. I might follow up with a worst rides post, although I'm not sure if I want to relive this again.
As I've been riding the local roller coasters for a Chronicle magazine article I'm working

After visiting Disney's California Adventure the previous day, head into the park when it opens at eight for shorter lines at those rides you are dying to get on. Sure, the newest ride in the park the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage is interesting, but check out some less appreciated aspects of the

What if Disneyland converted Tomorrowland to a "Star Wars"-themed area rather than building a 14-acre Star Wars Land?
Starting Friday, you can see what that would have looked like with Star Wars Season of the Force at the Anaheim theme park.
The "Star Wars" festival officially kicks off

I'm going to go to Disneyland by myself. Maybe that doesn't strike anyone as odd, but at my age I think the only people who do that are the people who decorate their homes in a Mickey Mouse motif and wear Pluto sweatshirts. I am not one of those people. What I am is a mother whose kids had the

But I wanted more of Disney's new Indiana Jones Adventure ride.
So I climbed aboard again. And again. And again.
And again. And again. And again.
And again.
Eight times altogether.
And why not?
At age 48, I was in Disneyland. Alone. I was vacationing for the first time without my

When my adventurous eight-year-old resorted to a sympathetic pep talk to convince me to ride Disneyland's Space Mountain with him, the role-reversal was too embarrassing to refuse.
On that magical, starlit, pleasantly disorienting plunge, with my son holding my hand, I had my Disneyland

Disneyland Park opened its gates for the first time ever on July 17, 1955. Since that notable date in history, Disneyland has grown, expanded, and renovated countless times making it the enticing vacation point that it is today. For some people, however, Disneyland is not just a vacation spot.

Aaah, summer. Backyard barbecues, playing outdoors, days at the beach.
And as the weather heats up, so do the new thrills at Southern California theme parks.
Aat Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, visitors can go into the deep with a special exhibit charting the course of the blue

I guess you could say that for my age, I am a well-traveled individual. I've visited Italy, France, Austria and most of the East Coast, and I've even been on a cross-country road trip. I've lived in Germany, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina and now, Washington. Despite all of the cool

Visiting a Disney park is a magical experience no matter how old you are. What's not so magical, however, is having to line up for hours on end, just to have one go on the Space Mountain ride. With the parks packed with Disney lovers all year round, queuing up has become an inevitable part of the

Disneyland is a big place. Sometimes it's the smallest thing that counts.
It's early Sunday evening last weekend, and even as Space Mountain boasts a 45-minute wait, crowds are thin at one of my favorite places from childhood: Innoventions in Tomorrowland. I remember gaping as a kid at the way

It was a "Fantasmic!" start for Disneyland in the 1990s, and the decade ended with a new Tomorrowland and the disappearance of the parking lot.
1990-92
Not much happened for the first two years in terms of changes or additions of new attractions until 1992. Mission to Mars had its last

The new century started out with few changes inside Disneyland, as the company was focused on big changes outside the park, but things would liven up as the century progressed.
2000
Parking at Disneyland changed with the opening of the Mickey & Friends parking structure on the land that

The seventies at Disneyland started with an invasion, then went into space, and ended with a wild ride in the frontier.
Unfortunately for Disneyland, the riots that had been happening in cities across America during the latter half of the sixties and some of the protesters turned their

You can't help it, everytime you're on a rollercoaster you stick your arms out and up even though there is a fear that they will somehow be torn off during an unexpected turn or drop in the ride. I know I feel this way everytime I ride Space Mountain at Disneyland. So how does Disney ensure that

Associate Editor Stephen Koepp still likes Pirates of the Caribbean best. "As a kid growing up in Wisconsin, whenever I went to Disneyland, I was always yearning to get out of the boat and join the pirates." As writer of the main story in this week's cover package on the burgeoning Disney empire,

It is a place of improbable dreams, a 65-acre world drifted over with pixie dust. It is a place where Tinker Bell and Mary Poppins soar matter-of-factly through the evening sky, where Tom Sawyer plies his raft on the muddy Mississippi and the Lost Continent of Atlantis is cheek by jowl with the

Separate-ticket 'Mickey's Halloween Party' Offers Trick-or-Treating In Disneyland Park on 10 Special Nights
The spirit of Halloween Time will invade Disneyland Resort this fall with Disney villains, Mickey Mouse and his friends in Halloween costumes, along with the seasonal transformations of

Depending on your view of the world's most famous rodent, a plan to visit Disneyland in California and Disney World in Florida, one after the other, is either a dream or a nightmare. Those in support of an oversized mousetrap would warn that dragging an adventurous seven-year-old and a jet-lagged

During the rush of getting the Park constructed, "Tomorrowland" was the last land finished. Budget cuts didn't allow all of its attractions to be opened that first day. One of those cuts was to use the "Nautilus" sets from "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" as a walk-through. When it closed in 1966,

Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California is a special place adults and children can enjoy together. It is a place where all worries and cares can be forgotten and adults can be kids again.
Disneyland's has a lot of amazing rides for adults. Actually all of the rides at Disneyland are geared for

Disneyland has so much to do throughout its two parks that it actually may lead to adult onset ADD. There are so many options, visitors really should have a plan to maximum Disney splendor. This can be confusing for new park visitors and they may miss out on a few amazing experiences.

After a recent getaway to Anaheim, California to visit Disneyland and California Adventure Park, I have compiled a few tips to make sure your future visit does not involve waiting in long lines and junk food.
1) Use the Single-Rider Line -- If you don't want to wait 50+ minutes in the stand-by

A Sunshine Dreamlift to Disney is all about journeys.
Last Wednesday's 2006 Dreamlift, the fifth in the B.C. Interior, was a perfect example.
Seventy-nine youngsters from the Interior flew from the snowy, chilly Okanagan Valley to sunny Southern California.
Mentally, they were in a

It's safe to say that the last week has been one of the craziest weeks of high school.
I had family fly in from France and Texas, and although May 31 was my official last day of classes, the 2011 seniors had to return to school June 1-2 for graduation rehearsals.
The ceremony started at 8

Disneyland, the theme park that bills itself as "the happiest place on Earth," filled with people during a recent spring-break April day when the temperature hovered near 90.
People waited for more than two hours for a chance to ride Splash Mountain. Finding a bench to sit for a moment with a

A ride at Disneyland and another at Disney California Adventure Park remained closed Monday as park officials worked to fix safety violations cited by the state.
Disney officials said they voluntarily closed Disneyland's Space Mountain and Soarin' Over California at Disney California Adventure

*If you don't want to pay for parking and are going to park hop, you can use the Downtown Disney 3 Hour lot for free (for three hours) and either go in and out every three hours, or buy something and validate the ticket for more time.
*Use the Grand Californian Hotel entrance/exit from DCA to

Disney Parks have a reputation for presenting themselves as perfect, flawless places where nothing could ever possibly go wrong.
Some less-than-amazing stuff has allegedly happened inside the parks, but by many accounts, Disney works realllll hard to make it all feel truly magical.
But it

I guess it's a fact of life that not every idea for an attraction or Land can actually be built. Occasionally, the failed idea was a revamp or replacement of an older attraction that was shut down for various reasons. Other times, the idea was scrapped because of the success of another, similar,

The turnstile clicked for the 100th day in a row Monday for a couple continuing a streak of visiting Disneyland every day in 2012.
Jeff Reitz and Tonya Mickesh met while scuba diving in 2006, and found they shared a love of Disneyland. They got the idea to visit every day in 2012 when the

"Have a magical day!" is a familiar greeting you'll get at Disney's parks, or even their corporate offices. For those eager to visit Disneyland's theme park and California Adventure, the question is, what's the cost of a magical day? Especially with the parks' recent raise in prices.
To do the

Having grown up in Southern California, I can't remember a time when I wasn't aware of Disneyland.
I've loved the amusement park and all things Disney since I was itty bitty. I can remember being carried out to the car while it was still dark out when I was a little girl only to wake up again

Reports are surfacing that Disneyland is actively looking to replace Captain EO in its 3D theatre in tommorrowland. The park brought it back for an encore run after a 13 year run of "Honey, I shrunk the audience" made its home there. Now Captain EO's return has run its course as well and the park

Disney announced many new coming attractions and entertainment during the D23 EXPO 2015 in Anaheim this past weekend. Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman Bob Chapek delivered a behind-the-scenes look at what is coming to Disneyland. He was joined on stage by Imagineers working on the projects to

The Walt Disney Company's announcement last November of its plans to open what will amount to a flume ride through American history in Manassas, Virginia, confirmed it: Americans are living in a theme park world. From an ersatz Plymouth Plantation in Massachusetts to Epcot Center's small world to

Just as the same attractions (Haunted Mansion and Space Mountain) are slightly different at Disneyland and Disney World, the same holds true for the cult fan favorite Dole Whip. Having recently tried both, I can attest to the subtle distinctions, both positive and negative. Which one is cheaper?

As told by Tina Caviezel to Zoie Matthew
I started February 9, 1992. Normally I worked midnight till eight in the morning, and the first year I was there, I was all over the park. It was cool because you'd walk in and it was empty, pretty much just employees. I'd walk through there and think,

A half-dozen new or revitalized attractions will be unveiled May 4: Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters: Piloting individual Space Cruisers in Tomorrowland, riders fire laser cannons at targets to protect outer space from the evil forces of Emperor Zurg. Total scores appear in the Space Cruiser at the

The early 1980's were a very dramatic time for Disneyland. The company had recently survived the Saul Steinberg corporate raid event, and they had recently created the two new movie divisions that would allow Disney to produce R-rated movies and such to a non-Disney focused market. Michael Eisner

If I've ever been to Disneyland during Halloween, I was a kid, because I don't remember it. However, I do know that for Halloween, like Christmas, the decorators go all out. The equivalent of the giant tree in the Town Square and Mickey shaped wreaths are Mickey shaped jack-o-lanterns, complete

There is no denying that Utahns love all things Disney, including the company's theme parks, television and radio stations, movies and iconic cartoon characters. For many of us, a trip to Disneyland was an essential rite of growing up. I first went when I was 12 and I have taken my kids and

After a momentous 2006, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts is poised to unveil a full slate of exciting new attractions and entertainment in the coming year, highlighted by the continued rollout around the world of its groundbreaking Where Dreams Come True initiative.
"As proud as we are of all

It is a sunny September morning in Disneyland. Bands are playing; people are walking with their children and pushing empty strollers; couples are taking pictures. There is a good proportion of people, buildings, and trees.
The Chinese writers, the UCLA conference hosts, Allen Ginsberg, and I

There is nothing quite like experiencing Disneyland through a four year-old or soon to be four-year old I should say!
The entire family got to share in grandson Samuel's amazing birthday celebration at the happiest place on earth. From the moment of arrival at the hotel when the staff

A worker fell while cleaning the Space Mountain ride at Disneyland Wednesday, breaking a leg and several other bones.
The 37-year-old subcontractor, working for HSG Inc., was cleaning the roof in a bosun chair when it came loose shortly after 7 a.m., according to Anaheim Fire Marshal Jeff

The Anaheim Fire Department responded to Tomorrowland in Disneyland at 7:21 a.m. after reports that a worker fell from a ladder onto a roof.
Officials said the worker fell while working on the roof of a gift shop near the Space Mountain ride.
Rescuers were able to get the worker off the

Enjoy a Mickey Mouse flapjack for breakfast, then hit Splash Mountain early. Eat lunch at the Big Thunder Ranch. Top off your day at Disneyland by watching fireworks from a little know vantage point. Those are some of the tips we picked up after visiting Disneyland five times last season. We

I'm halfway through a typical 60-minute wait for Disneyland's Space Mountain. In front of me, the back of a twelve-year-old boy's head nods to a silent beat as the white buds of an iPod plug his ears. He inches along, following the line. As he turns into a switchback I notice a sleek cell phone in